Mini-Names: When You Need Something Short

They’re the miniest of appellations, beloved by novelists and children first learning to write their names. A handful just two letters long, these are names that get right to the point.

Some are short – very short – forms of more elaborate names. Bea from Beatrice, for instance, or Jed from Jedidiah. Others are merely their short and sweet selves: Fay, Tai, Rex.

With a few exceptions, we skipped the obvious short forms: There’s no Jim, Ben, or Pam here. Also skipped some trendy favorites – Ava and Zac, for instance – that get so much play. We tried to be democratic, but to present a collection of names you might actually want to use.

But we’ve been talking long enough. Here, the shortest names in the book: